Name: Cooling gazpacho
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 100 gram stale crusty white bread (ciabatta is good); 5 large ripe tomatoes; 3/4 cucumber, peeled,; 1 green capsicum; 2 clove cloves garlic, peeled; slug of olive oil; 75 millilitre sherry vinegar; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; pinch sugar (optional); soft herbs, to garnish; chopped red capsicum, to garnish; serrano ham, to garnish

Cooling gazpacho

This chilled soup is a great “wake up” for the taste buds and ever so refreshing on a hot summer’s day. I tried this recipe at one of the small pintxos (tapas) bars in Spain’s San Sebastian and it turned me into a gazpacho fan – so cooling and light for lunch or supper.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

Total

25M

Ingredients

100 gram stale crusty white bread (ciabatta is good)

5 large ripe tomatoes

3/4 cucumber, peeled,

1 green capsicum

2 clove cloves garlic, peeled

slug of olive oil

75 millilitre sherry vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

pinch sugar (optional)

soft herbs, to garnish

chopped red capsicum, to garnish

serrano ham, to garnish

Method

1.Slice the bread, put in a bowl and cover with 100ml water to soak.

2.Cut a small cross on top of each tomato with a knife, then drop in a bowl of boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and remove the skins.

3.In large jug or blender, put the peeled tomatoes, chopped vegetables and garlic. Add the soaked bread, olive oil and sherry. Whiz it all up until it’s very smooth.

4.Taste and add salt and pepper, and sugar too if you think it needs sweetening up. Get the perfect balance of acid, freshness and salt. Chill well before serving.

5.Serve drizzled with olive oil and garnished with herbs, red capsicum and ham.